Inadvertent Interaction
by Viscy Whiskey Poo
Summary: A very not-dead Terra is reluctantly back in town for business. Things get complicated when she runs into pretty much everyone she's been trying to avoid. The Titans want answers and Slade just wants revenge. I will update within the next month!
1. Chapter 1

BOOM. An explosion sounded behind me. Well, that's always bad news, especially when I'm not the one who caused it. For a moment I almost panicked. Then, I realized there was a bank next door and it was probably being robbed. No biggie. The other people at the café started screaming and running. For covers sake, I should too. But I really liked sitting at this table and enjoying my iced tea. Besides, what would the police do if they came and saw me here? Being unfazed by an explosion is not a crime.

Uh-oh, I realized the problem. It was an explosion. In _this _city, which meant…

"TITANS GO!" Robin's furious battle cry interrupted my thoughts.

The Teen Titans would be here to take care of everything and I had to be gone. I can't let them see me. Last time they checked, I was very dead. I finished my drink, grabbed my bag and bolted. Unfortunately, all the civilians had long gone. There was no crowd to cover my delayed exit. Would it be too conspicuous if I just ran down the street in plain sight? Surely the Titans and their adversaries would be too busy to notice.

"Hey, Pieface! Check this out," called out some sort kid in a green jumpsuit. The guy looked like a Cyborg wannabe. From his hi-tech looking backpack, eight metal arms shot out, all shooting lasers. Yup, they definitely had their hands full. They wouldn't notice me as long as I didn't get involved, and boy did I wanna kick this kid's ass through his lungs. Just ignore it, just ignore every fiber of your being telling you to pick this fight. I really wanted to teach this brat a lesson, shitload of fancy toys or not.

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Luckily for me, I was able to make my escape. Now thoroughly paranoid, I take a route through the forest because they would have absolutely no reason to have to fight crime in a forest. It was getting dark. Even better, nothing says discreet like the cover of darkness. Now I just had to hike to the next city. Just keep walking. The fresh air will do me a lot of good. There's absolutely nothing to worry about.

I'm getting scared. It's that queasy, endless-pit-in-stomach feeling. I try to talk myself out of it. There's nothing to be scared _of_. After all, when was the last time I was faced with someone I couldn't handle? It was probably just some rapist following me, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Like I said, nothing to worry about. I sneak a quick look behind me; just as I predicted (or hoped) there was no one there. How silly of me. That doesn't calm me down, though. Now I'm just filled with a mix of dread and regret. I told him I couldn't come back to this city! Yet he insisted I had to be the one to do the job. Thinking back on it, I should have argued harder, longer, more convincingly. I walk the next few yards looking glancing behind me furtively almost every step of the way. Frustrated with myself, I stop deliberately. Pull yourself together! I'm determined to walk the rest of the trail looking straight ahead and not look back even if I drop something.

Of course I realize I'm just trying to distract myself. Just trying to stop any thoughts before they start, thoughts of…

"Hello Terra."

Oh god… it's him. I know that voice. The tone so, emotionless and sadistic. This cannot be happening.


	2. Chapter 2

Well, this is the moment I had both dreaded and hoped for. On one hand, I totally wanted a rematch with this son of bitch, but at the same time I totally had this feeling that I was gonna get my ass handed to me… provided I even survived.

I froze, desperately trying to figure out my best way of approaching the situation. Of course, I could just try to convince him that I honest to goodness have no idea who he is and that I'm just some hopelessly lost hiker in the wrong place at the wrong time. And if that fails, I could at least have a precious few seconds to come up with Plan B.

"Who are you?" I asked. No need to bother trying to sound scared, my voice was already barely above a pathetic squeak. "I don't want any trouble…" And the clichés just keep on coming, I thought wryly.

He didn't answer. Figures. Instead he pulled out his retractable bo staff. I turned to face him when I heard the telltale click. He took a very composed combative stance. Well, that changes things. He might just kill me any way and cut his losses. Asshole. I just glared at him angrily. Man, if looks could kill I could totally take him. Okay, time for Plan B.

"What the hell do you want from me? I don't even have my powers anymore!" I yelled angrily.

"See, that's the problem, _Terra. _I just don't believe you," he said, his voice a deathly calm baritone. To think I was once captivated by all the power and intrigue it promised. I was such a loser, but I was so confused at the time. My powers had suddenly manifested without warning and I was at a complete loss for what to do and how to control it. It was the first time in my life I was completely at a loss for what to do.

Without warning, came at me, swiftly bringing the end down at me. I dodged…well, more like face planted in the dirt just in time. I had no time to recover, rolling away as he struck again. I scrambled to my feet, clumsily blocking a swing that probably would have broken my neck. It's been a while; I had forgotten how fast he was. Without a doubt he had the upper hand and I could barely regain my balance long enough to keep up with not getting hit anywhere vital, let alone try and get an offensive move in. I decided I had nothing to lose and feigned a punch, but landed a kick. Luckily it threw him off however briefly. He still moved incredibly fast, though and before I knew it, he grabbed me from behind, choking me with the staff. I struggled to get the cold metal pole away from my airway.

"Why won't you just leave me alone?" I choked out before jerking sideways and kicking him in groin. Score one for those self-defense seminars I was somehow convinced to go to! Because when even the best training in the world fails…

Trying to even the odds in the slightest, I wrestled the staff from his hands and tossed it aside. I had never learned how to fight with one and leaving it in the battle would only give him another chance to use it against me.

"Remember Terra, you belong to me," he said. Man, how much fun would it have been to hear his voice go up a few octaves higher from taking one to the balls?

"You know, that ship kinda sailed when you tried to kill me," I said casually. "Just sayin'."

I finally decided that this would be a very opportune time to try and use my powers because even an earthquake that accidentally wiped out half the city would be pretty useful right now. Wouldn't it be ironic if they really didn't work any more?

I was able to lift a heavy boulder of the ground, with a bit of difficulty at first and little extra concentration on my part (I don't think the boulder tried very hard) and launched it at him. Great, I only missed by about three feet. Suppressing the powers was easy; controlling them was still a bitch. A little miffed at how easily it all came back to me, I smashed two other rocks against each other and produced some very useful looking shards of nice sharp world of hurt. Now if I could just manage not to miss, though I'd be pretty grateful just to not end up having them flying back at myself… I held out my arm and directed it at him. They flew at him like a hundred arrows of random sizes. He still dodged and several of them embedded themselves in to the trees behind him. I didn't even notice him grab one until it was too late. He immediately hurled it back at me. I didn't even think to try and stop it. It was just one of those moments when you know you're in danger and you just freeze.

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If anyone's reading this, I do apologies for it shortness. Thank you so much to two of you who reviewed I truly appreciated it!

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	3. Chapter 3

Finally! An update! I didn't think it would happen either! Thanks so much for your reviews; they totally inspire me to continue writing, so review as much as you'd like. And thanks in advance for this chapter's reviews! I promise I will see this through no matter what! Even if there's a huge gap between updates.

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As I stood there, staring blankly at what should have been immediant death, a brilliant green bolt of energy shattered the rocks. A for that one moment I felt immensely grateful that they still had it in their hearts to save my life. This wonderful feeling of gratitude was shorted lived, as the one she missed embedded itself into my side. I stumbled backwards, gasping. I looked down at the gaping wound with the shard of rock protruding in a horrible, grotesque manner, shocked.

Not missing a beat, Slade's robots showed up to keep the Titans occupied. The five of them were already prepared for battle, Robin with his birdarangs at the ready. The robots attacked first, some firing laser weapons, others attacking agilely with their hands and feet. In the midst of the chaos, Slade took the opportunity to disappear, decidedly satisfied with his work.

Without taking any of the circumstances into consideration, I turned and ran. I'm such a coward, I should have stayed to help. I don't deserve anything but their hate and animosity.

"Terra! Wait!" I heard Beast Boy call after me. I also knew he had to change back into human form to do so, putting himself in danger… all because of me. I could almost sense his indecision, stay and fight with his friends and teammates or go after the traitor. The only reason they were fighting now was because of me. Being back in their lives only made things worse. They were happy with out me. I was the one who tore the team apart. Beast Boy had foolishly and irrationally put me before his friends. Love did that to a person.

"Go! We have this under control!" Robin urged Beast Boy right before I was out of earshot.

So I ran, as far as I could, as fast as I could. I just had to get away. I had no right to use Beast Boy's emotions as the only reason I had to stay away. I couldn't face any of them. The only true friends I ever had and I betrayed them in return for something so trivial and stupid. I had made the wrong choice every time I replayed the scenario over in my head. And I ran because I was afraid of the consequences I would have to face for what I did. I'm not a good person, I'd never willingly go to prison just because it was the moral thing to do. I headed deeper into the woods and the trees grew denser, darkening my surroundings. In the end, I'm still a criminal running from the law, jumping desperately over fallen branches to get away. As much as I tried to lose him, I knew he'd catch up eventually. I was already growing weak and probably losing a lot of blood and probably leaving a trail of it behind me. I felt dizzy and lightheaded, overwhelmed by all my senses. I stopped and before I knew it, I was falling. I tried to grab onto anything, but I couldn't reach and I collapsed, barely conscious. The last thing I saw was Beast Boy kneeling at my side, concern written all over his features.

"Terra… you're going to be fine, okay?" He said. I wondered why his voice sounded so oddly strained and then I saw it; he was trying to not cry. "You're not gonna die, now that you're back, we can…" He wasn't trying to convince me so much as himself. I smiled at him and reached out for his hand. I felt him grip it tightly with both, warm and comforting from inside the glove.

"Is it okay now?" I asked, against my better judgment. If I had been thinking clearly or like a person who knew there would be a tomorrow, I would never have allowed myself the privilege of asking for forgiveness, but I wasn't and with him here, all I wanted was his love and friendship. Maybe dying won't be so bad, it could fix everything. "Forgive me, please?"

"Don't say that! You don't have to say that, you'll be fine. We'll talk about it when you're better." Beast Boy pleaded.

"Do you?" I persisted.

"Of course, Terra."


End file.
